St Vladimir’s Seminary graduates record number of students

SVS Class of 2007A record number of students graduated from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here on Saturday, May 19, 2007.

The forty graduates pursued five academic programs. Twenty-eight seminarians received the Master of Divinity degree. One student received the Master of Divinity degree and the Master of Arts in Liturgical Music. Eight seminarians received Master of Arts degrees in General Theology, while one student received the Master of Arts degree in Religious Education and two seminarians received Master of Theology degrees.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman, primate of the Orthodox Church in America and seminary president, presided at the commencement ceremony. Also participating were His Grace, Bishop Antoun of Miami and the Southeast of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, and His Eminence, Archbishop Mor Tithus Yeldho of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America.

The graduates represented the OCA; the Ecumenical Patriarchate; the Antiochian and Greek Archdioceses; the Russian and Serbian Patriarchates; and the Armenian, Indian, and Syrian Churches. In addition to the US, graduates also represented Russia, Serbia, Romania, Australia, Japan, France, and Canada.

The graduation day began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, at which Metropolitan Herman presided. During the Liturgy, seminarian Paul Coats was ordained to the diaconate, while the Rev. John Erickson, seminary dean, was elevated to the rank of archpriest and the Rev. John Behr, dean-elect, was awarded the gold cross. The Very Rev. Chad Hatfield, chancellor-elect, delivered an inspiring homily.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the Very Rev. Paul Lazor was awarded a synodal citation in recognition of his retirement after many years of service to the seminary and the Church in general.

The commencement ceremony was held in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, which was filled beyond capacity with proud parents, grandparents, wives, children, other family members, and friends.

The Rev. Hermogen Holste, valedictorian, compared Christ’s 40-day fast in the desert in preparation for His ministry with the graduating students’ seminary days.

“Seminary is a time of preparation where we are set apart and formed to serve the Lord fully and faithfully,” Father Hermogen said. “Just as a foundation is useless without a building, it is our duty to give ourselves for the sake of others.”

Co-salutatorians, second-year students Rico Monge and Deacon Paul Coats, expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the advice, friendship, and faithful example of leadership given by the class of 2007.

Dean Emeritus, Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, delivered the keynote address, the complete text of which may be found on the seminary web site at http://www.svots.edu.

Father John Erickson announced that the annual Saint Basil the Great Award, given to the highest ranking Master of Divinity students in each class, was awarded to Father Hermogen Holste, graduate, Recipients from the junior (first-year) and middler (second-year) classes will be announced at the beginning of the fall 2007 semester.

Deacon Paul Coats was awarded the newly-established Saint Vladimir Scholarship, given for strong academic performance, the promise of significant service to the Church, and commendable participation in seminary extra-curricular activities. The newly-established Distinguished Service Scholarship was also awarded to Deacon Paul Rivers, Brock Johns, and Nicholas Hubbard, all of whom have demonstrated outstanding participation in seminary extra-curricular activities.

A touching moment took place as Gregory Ealy and Christopher Rocknage, on behalf of the graduating class, presented Father Paul Lazor with a hand-painted icon of Saint John of Kronstadt, after which the seminary’s Board of Trustees acknowledged Father Paul’s retirement with a resolution read by the board’s executive chair, Anne Glynn Mackoul.

“I hope that you will all be blessed to hear ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’ when you stand before our Lord Jesus Christ, for the work you will do building up His Church,” Metropolitan Herman said in his closing comments.

Concurrent with the close of the academic year, members of the seminary’s Board of Trustees held their annual spring meeting and enjoyed a dinner with the graduates on Thursday, May 17, 2007.